Tax Rebate not paid - Help!

Girlzmum

I'm wondering if someone can point me in the right direction. When I got my P60 back in May I noticed I'd paid too much tax, I'd been off sick for over 8 months last year due to a broken leg so I hadn't earned very much. When checking P60 I realised nothing was mentioned about a rebate so I got in touch with HMRC, it turned out that I was on an emergency tax code so I had been taxed too much but as I had applied for ESA benefit (didn't get it) the ESA had registered with my tax account and I needed to get a P45 from them in order for my rebate to be processed. I did this as quickly as I could and had the P45 send off by the first week of June.

Around July 14th I received a P800 stating that I had paid too much tax and would receive a rebate of almost £900, the notes stated that a cheque would be sent separately and would arrive within 14 working days. I waited for the cheque to arrive until the end of August but as there was no sign of it I contacted HMRC again, guy on phone was very abrupt and when I asked how long it would take to reissue cheque he said at least 6 weeks, I was stunned and he basically replied "Well, if you want it then you'll have to wait". I was then told that it could be paid directly into my bank account and to ring them back, which I did the following day, when I was told that they couldn't take my details over the phone and I'd have to write them and send them in to HMRC to process - now call me daft but I'm very reluctant to send my bank details to anyone in writing! So I said I wouldn't bother and to just send me the cheque.

I waited a further 7 weeks, bringing me to the middle of October and nothing turned up so I contacted the HMRC complaints department stating I wanted the issue resolved by October 31st. I received a letter on November 3rd dated October 31stsaying they were investigating the matter, shortly afterwards I received another letter apologising for the delay but the last cheque had been cancelled after me telling them not to, that another cheque had been issued and would be with me shortly. I waited and rang on November 26th saying it still hadn't arrived, guy on phone told me it was sent on November 6th by 2nd class and it could still be on the way, to wait and see if it arrived. He also said that if it didn't arrive another cheque would need to be approved and it would take weeks, that they don't actually electronically transfer money into bank accounts either - they send a cheque to my bank!

So it STILL hasn't arrived and I don't know what to do - the complaints department are ineffective. I truly cannot believe that the HMRC cannot electronically process payments, how do they get the PAYE money? It's been 5 months now and I'm completely :mad:

Please can someone help and tell me where I stand legally?

antonic

HMRC ask for bank account details in writing, because it would be to easy for someone to impersonate you on the phone and change your bank account details to their own and make off with your refund.

HMRC send ALL post 2nd Class to save money, as after all where all in this debt crisis together arent we ?.

If you spoke to an Enquiry Centre, they record all calls, if your not happy with what was said to you, you can ask for a recording of all calls.

Any repayment that is due will be sent to YOU directly in the form of a Girocheque it WILL not be sent to your bank.

If your unhappy with the way your complaint is being dealt with, take your complaint to a higher level.

Unless the repayment is more than a year old you will NOT get interest on it (Repayment Supplement).

Girlzmum wrote: »

I'm wondering if someone can point me in the right direction. When I got my P60 back in May I noticed I'd paid too much tax, I'd been off sick for over 8 months last year due to a broken leg so I hadn't earned very much. When checking P60 I realised nothing was mentioned about a rebate so I got in touch with HMRC, it turned out that I was on an emergency tax code so I had been taxed too much but as I had applied for ESA benefit (didn't get it) the ESA had registered with my tax account and I needed to get a P45 from them in order for my rebate to be processed. I did this as quickly as I could and had the P45 send off by the first week of June.

Around July 14th I received a P800 stating that I had paid too much tax and would receive a rebate of almost £900, the notes stated that a cheque would be sent separately and would arrive within 14 working days. I waited for the cheque to arrive until the end of August but as there was no sign of it I contacted HMRC again, guy on phone was very abrupt and when I asked how long it would take to reissue cheque he said at least 6 weeks, I was stunned and he basically replied "Well, if you want it then you'll have to wait". I was then told that it could be paid directly into my bank account and to ring them back, which I did the following day, when I was told that they couldn't take my details over the phone and I'd have to write them and send them in to HMRC to process - now call me daft but I'm very reluctant to send my bank details to anyone in writing! So I said I wouldn't bother and to just send me the cheque.

I waited a further 7 weeks, bringing me to the middle of October and nothing turned up so I contacted the HMRC complaints department stating I wanted the issue resolved by October 31st. I received a letter on November 3rd dated October 31stsaying they were investigating the matter, shortly afterwards I received another letter apologising for the delay but the last cheque had been cancelled after me telling them not to, that another cheque had been issued and would be with me shortly. I waited and rang on November 26th saying it still hadn't arrived, guy on phone told me it was sent on November 6th by 2nd class and it could still be on the way, to wait and see if it arrived. He also said that if it didn't arrive another cheque would need to be approved and it would take weeks, that they don't actually electronically transfer money into bank accounts either - they send a cheque to my bank!

So it STILL hasn't arrived and I don't know what to do - the complaints department are ineffective. I truly cannot believe that the HMRC cannot electronically process payments, how do they get the PAYE money? It's been 5 months now and I'm completely :mad:

Please can someone help and tell me where I stand legally?

TM1976

HMR&C always take about 6 weeks to reissue a cheque, this is the norm.

As has been mentioned they also won't make a payment electronically.

If the original cheque was not received it's also worth checking what payee and address they have sent it to as they do sometimes key this in wrong and send it somewhere else. At the risk of stating the obvious, if you've moved house and not informed them they'll send it to the last address they have on record for you.

xylophone

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/factsheets/complaints-factsheet.pdf

Send it special delivery.....?

Girlzmum

antonic wrote: »

HMRC ask for bank account details in writing, because it would be to easy for someone to impersonate you on the phone and change your bank account details to their own and make off with your refund. I appreciate that but really, why would I send my bank details to a department who have claimed to send me 3 cheques so far and none have arrived.

HMRC send ALL post 2nd Class to save money, as after all where all in this debt crisis together arent we ?. I'm not complaining about HMRC using second class post, I appreciate there is a debt crisis (I'm a public sector worker!)

If you spoke to an Enquiry Centre, they record all calls, if your not happy with what was said to you, you can ask for a recording of all calls. I've already taken that up with the complaint department.

Any repayment that is due will be sent to YOU directly in the form of a Girocheque it WILL not be sent to your bank. That's not what I was told by HMRC employee, you can request it, that's why they ask for bank details to be sent in.

If your unhappy with the way your complaint is being dealt with, take your complaint to a higher level. Can you tell me who that is?

Unless the repayment is more than a year old you will NOT get interest on it (Repayment Supplement). I haven't mentioned getting interest. I simply want the rebate that was due to me 5 months ago.

Girlzmum

TM1976 wrote: »

If the original cheque was not received it's also worth checking what payee and address they have sent it to as they do sometimes key this in wrong and send it somewhere else. At the risk of stating the obvious, if you've moved house and not informed them they'll send it to the last address they have on record for you. Have been in same address for last 11 years and there has been no problem receiving any other letters regarding this from HMRC, it's just the cheques that haven't shown up. I confirmed my address every time I phoned or wrote to them.

Girlzmum

xylophone wrote: »

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/factsheets/complaints-factsheet.pdf

Send it special delivery.....?

I sent my complaint special delivery.

Mikeyorks

They will send a PAYE repayment direct to your Bank if you so request. They can make SA repayments electronically - but the PAYE system isn't hooked up to that yet.

If they consider several cheques have gone AWOL then they will be suspicious. As they won't tell you if an attempt was made to encash the original. Getting them to send it direct to your Bank will remove some of that suspicion if they consider cheques to your home address are being intercepted.

xylophone

Have you read the 'how to complain' in the link above?